Matrix-setting and type-line-casting machine



W. BLUME A ril 17, 1934.

MATRIX SETTING AND TYPE LINE CASTING MACHINE Filed ma 'lz, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 1 5 4 1 l illlllllllllllllllll\lllllilllHlMlllllllilflfl W.BLUME April 17, 1934.

MATRIX SETTING AND TYPE LINE CASTING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1933 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 17, 1934 MATRIX-SETTING AND TYPE-LINE-CASTING MACHINE Wilhelm Blume, Berlin-Tegel, Germany, assignor to thefirma Typograph G. m. b. H., Berlin,

Germany Application May 12, 1933, Serial No. 670,790

In Germany 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a power drive with rotating shaft for thematrix release devices of matrix-setting and type-line-casting machines.The power drives hitherto used for such machines possess a substantialdrawback which frequently leads to errors of setting which can beavoided only by great care and experience of a skilled compositor. Ihematrices corresponding to a key are released in quick succession oneafter another as long as the key is kept depressed. This may beadvisable for the purpose of emptying a case, but frequently thecompositor keeps the key down too longsay owing to his keeping an eye onthe .copyand thus unintentionally releases several matrices of the samekind one after another, so

that the well known errors in setting are produced. It requirestherefore great care and experience on the part of a compositor to avoidkeeping a depressed key longer than the short instant admissible for therelease of only one matrix, inv spite'of his studying the copy.

Thesedrawbacks are avoided according to the present invention owing tothe fact that normally only'one matrix can be released by eachdepression of a key. Each key depressed is disengaged, as soon as theprocess of releasing is started, from the connecting members leading tothe corespondrelease device, and is brought again into engagement withthe said parts only by its automatic 130 return to its initial position.The holding down of a depressed key for a long time does not affecttherefore the number of the matrices released. Nevertheless in specialcases the disengagement of the keys depressed from the parts leading tothe release devices, can be prevented according to the invention by asimple throwing-over of a lever operated for instance from the keyboardby the compositor. In this way by keeping down for ,a longer time thekeys which are now in constant connection with the members moving therelease devices,'several or all the corresponding matrices can besuccessively released.

The arrangements hitherto known for the same purpose of the single orcontinuous release for key mechanisms with power drive cannot beadvantageously used in the present case owing to their complicatednessand expensive manufacture and also in View of the drive of amatrix-setting and type-line-casting machine.

A construction according to the invention is shown diagrammatically andby way of example the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a section through the key mechanism in lineL-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1 and in which,

May 31, 1932 for the sake of greater clearness, only some parts of thekey mechanism are shown.

Figure 3 shows part of Figure 1 on a larger scale.

In the casing 2 receiving the keys 1 in its inclined front wall, arerotatably mounted two or more spindles 3, 4 each carrying a rubberroller 5 along substantially the whole of the part of the spindle whichis disposed within the casing 2. Thespindle. 3 and 4 rotate in thedirection shown by the arrows in Figures 1 and 3. The bearings of theserubber rollers 5 or of the spindles 3, 4 are mounted in aneasilydetachable manner in the casing 2 in order to enable the rollers 5 whichfrequently require renewal on account of wear, to be replaced in asimple manner without any material loss of time.

The spindles 3, 4 or the rollers 5, are constantly rotated by the driveof the machine in the usual manner. In the construction shown (seeFigure 2), at one end of a spindle, say the spindle 4, is mounted abevel wheel 6 meshing with a bevel wheel 7 of the same size which isconnected for instance to a flexible shaft 8 leading to the drive of themachine. To the opposite end of the spindle 4 is secured a spur wheel 10meshing with a second spur wheel 9 of the same size secured to thespindle 3, so that both spindles 3, 4 or their rubber rollers 5 rotateat the same speed. a

The connection members 11 such as pull wires, rods, Bowden (registeredtrade-mark) cables, coming from the release devices not shown, arerespectively connected to the end of doublearmed levers 12 (see Figures1 and 3) which are rotatably mounted in distance blocks (not shown)about pins 13 secured to the casing 2. The other end of each lever 12which is situated within the casing 2, engages, when the lever is in theraised or inoperative position (see Figures 1 and 3), with one arm 14 ofa double-armed lever 15, for example a bell-crank lever. These levers15, like the levers 12, are mounted in separate distance blocks 17 andare rotatable about pins 16 secured to the casing 2. With the other arm18 of each lever 15 engages a spring blade 19 secured to the distanceblock 17 and tending to keep the lever 15 in its inoperative position(Figures 1 and 3) and locking the lever 12. The movement of each lever15 is limited by a stop 33 secured to the casing 2.

At the free end of each arm 18 there is provided a projection 20 withwhich engages a stop 21 rigidly secured to a spring blade 22 secured tothe key 1 and arranged co-axial with it. The lower end of each springblade 22 is preferably bent in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 3. lhestop 21 may form a part of the spring blade 22 and be produced bystamping.

Under each row of keys or under the spring blades 22 are arrangedspindles 23 rotatable to a limited extent within the casing 2. Thesespindles are however cylindrical oniy at their bearing places, whilstwithin the casing 2 they have a semi-circular cross-section (see Figures1 and 3). To the ends of the spindles 23 are secured levers 24 which arehingedly connected together by means of a rod 25.

To one of the spindles 23, for instance to that situated nearest to thefront of the casing 2 is secured a handle or a crank 26 by means ofwhich the spindles 23 may be turned with the assistance of the members24, 25.

Above the rubber rollers 5 discs 27 are rotatably mounted about pins 28provided on the levers 12.

The centres of rotation of the discs 27 are eccentrically displacedrelatively to their centres so that the discs 27 always have a tendencyto turn downwards in order to come into engagement with the rubberrollers 5. They are prevented however from doing so when the levers 12are in the inoperative position, by pins 29 provided on the said discsand engaging with stops 30 arranged for instance on a distance block 31secured to the casing 2, or on the distance block 17 (see Figure 1). Toensure better engagement with the rubber rollers 5, the discs 27 aretoothed on their circumference. After each depression of a key and assoon as the finger pressure of the compositor ceases, the keys areautomatically brought back to their initial positions in the well knownmanner by the action of helical springs 32 arranged say under the keybuttons.

In the normal working of the power drive according to the invention,each key depression, even when a key 1 is held down for a long time,releases only one matrix, and for such working the spindles 23 aredisposed in such a manner that they face the spring blades 22 with theircylindrical surfaces (see Figures 1 and 3). When a key 1 and the springblade 22 secured to it are depressed by the finger pressure of thecompositor, the stop 21 of the said spring engages the projection 20 ofthe lever 15, and moves its arm 18 down in opposition to the action ofthe spring 19.

In this way the lever 15 is turned about the pin 16 so that its otherarm 14 is moved away from the end of the lever 12 to release the latter.The lever 12 can therefore turn about the pin 13, and its arm carryingthe eccentric disc 27 drops down. At the same time the pin 29 secured tothe disc 27 moves in known manner past the stop 30, so that the disc 27comes into engagement with the rotating rubber roller 5 and is driven byit until the lever 12 with the disc 27 is brought to the position shownin chain-dotted lines in Figures 1 and 3. V

In this way, the pull required for the release of the matrices isexerted in the usual way on the connecting member 11 leading to thecorresponding matrix release device. During the process of release, thearm of the lever 12 carrying the eccentric disc 27, passes upwardsbeyond its initial position.

The corresponding lever 15 is in the meantime brought back again by thespring 19 to its initial position limited by the stop bar 33, so thatits arm 14 is again in its locking position under the free end of thelever 12.

During the further turning of the disc 27, the lever 12 is also broughtback in known manner to its initial position which is as already statedlimited by the position of the arm 14 of the lever 15.

The disc 27, owing to its being eccentrically mounted, has a tendency tocontinue to move in the same direction of rotation under the action ofgravity acting on it at one side. The disc then strikes with the pin 29secured to it, the fixed stop 39, owing to the raised position of thelever 12 now limited by the arm 14. The initial distance between theeccentric disc 27 and the rubber roller 5 will be thereforere-established and the disc 27 will have a tendency, on a furtherdepression of the key 1 and on the consequent release of the lever 12,to turn downwards for the purpose of engaging with rubber roller 5.

In order to ensure that even when a key 1 is depressed for a long time,the well known mechanical process of releasing hereinbefore describedshall be performed only once, that is to say only one matric shall bereleased each time, after each depression of a key, the lever 15 isreturned during the process of releasing, by the spring blade 12 to itsinitial position, thus preventing the lever 12 from moving downwards. Afurther depression of a key will therefore be required before a furthermatrix is released. For this purpose, the spindles 23 rotatably mountedin the casing 2 face the spring blades 22 with their cylindricalsurfaces. When. a key 1 is depressed, the corresponding lever 15 isfirst brought by the stop 21 and the projection 26 engaging with thesame, to the position which releases the lever 12. The spring blade 22will then be already in engagement by means of its curved bottom endwith the cylindrical surface of a spindle 23, and during furtherdepression of the key 1, the spring blade 22 will be bent to the sideaway from the projection 26. The stop 21 will thus be disengaged fromthe projection 21 so that the lever 15 can be brought by the spring 19,even with the key still held down, back to its initial locking positionlimited by the stop 33, without meeting an obstacle.

When the finger pressure of the compositor is released, the spring 32brings the key 1 and therefore the spring 22 back to their initialposition so that the stop 21 will engage again with the projection 20 ofthe lever 15 which is in the locking position. It is therefore onlyafter the return of the depressed key 1 that the initial position of allthe corresponding parts required for the release of a further matrix ofthe same kind will be again reached.

If however for some special reasonsay for the purpose of emptying acorresponding case part or of filling a whole line with the same type orcharacterit should be desired to release several or all the matricescorresponding to a key 1 by keeping this key down for a long time,according to the invention it is merely necessary to turn the lever orhandle 26 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. This willbring the spindles 23 connected together by the members 24, 25 into theposition provided for such working. The flat surfaces of the spindles 23of semi-circular crosssection, produced say by milling, will be thenfacing the spring blades 22 instead of the cylindrical surfaces. On thedepression of the keys 1, the springs 22 will therefore no longer comein contact with the spindles 23, but will move, without being deflected,within the recess produced between the spindles 23. The stops 21 of thesprings 22 will remain during this time in engagement with theprojections 20 of the lever arms 18. The latter will be held thereforeduring the whole time that the keys are held depressed in their bottomposition corresponding to the starting of the mechanical process ofrelease, so that the corresponding eccentric discs 2'7 Will remainconstantly in engagement with the rubber rollers 5, and thecorresponding matrices Will be released one after another. By turningback the crank handle 26 or the spindles 23, the previously describedstate can be easily re-established, whereupon on a key being depressed,independently of the time during which it is kept down, it will bepossible to release mechanically only one matrix.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for controlling the release of matrix bars intype-line-casting machines including power actuated matrix releasedevices, spring controlled operating keys, spring controlled membersintermediate each of the devices and corresponding keys for normallyholdingthe devices in inactive position but movable on depression of thecorresponding key to release said power actuated device, and adjustablemechanism cooperating with the keys for regulating the engagement of thekeys with the intermediate members.

2. A mechanism for controlling the release of matrix bars intype-line-casting machines comprising in combination rotatable powershafts, power actuated matrix release devices each embodying a pivoteddouble-armed lever above one of the power shafts and a cam eccentricallymounted on the lever for cooperating with the adjacent power shaft,spring controlled operating keys, spring controlled members intermediateeach of the devices and the corresponding keys for normally releasablyholding the double armed levers of the release devices in inactiveposition, cooperative engaging means on the keys and members so thatupon depression of the desired key the corresponding intermediate memberwill be moved to release the double-armed lever of the desired poweractuated device, means for disengaging the keys from the intermediatemembers immediately after the releasing process has been started so thatindependently of the time during which the depressed key is held downonly one matrix is released at each depression of the key.

3. A mechanism for controlling the release of matrix bars andtype-line-setting and casting machines including in combination,rotatable power shafts, pivotally mounted matrix releasing levers abovethe shafts, cams eccentrically mounted on the levers for cooperatingwith the power shafts, control levers pivotally mounted beneath the saidmatrix releasing levers so as to releasably hold said matrix releasinglevers in a raised position, spring controlled keys above the controllevers for actuating the control levers to release the matrix releasinglevers, said cams engaging said shafts after the release of the desiredlevers for returning the matrix releasing levers to a raised position,and means for disengaging the keys from the control levers immediatelysubsequent to the initial actuation of the control levers.

4. A mechanism for controlling the release of matrix bars andtype-line-setting and casting machines including in combination withrotatable power shafts, matrix release devices each embodying apivotally mounted double-armed lever arranged above one of the powershafts, and cams eccentrically mounted on the levers for cooperatingwith the adjacent power shaft, control levers pivotally mounted beneaththe matrix release levers so as to releasably hold said levers in aninactive position, spring controlled operating keys, resilient bladescarried by the keys and provided with stops for cooperating with thecontrol levers to lock said levers in their position of rest ready forworking and acting on depression of the key to move the control leverfrom engagement with the corresponding matrix release lever, manuallyadjustable means cooperating with the resilient blades for effectingdisengagement of the stops from said control levers immediatelysubsequent to the initial operation of said control lever to permit thelatter to return to its original position, and the said levers beingengaged again with the said stops only on the return of the key to itsinitial position so that independently of the time during which thedepressed key is held down only one matrix is released at eachdepression of the key.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for effectingdisengagement of the stops on the keys with the levers include spindlesrotatably mounted beneath the blades and engaged by the resilient bladesfor bending the blades to one side and their stops disengaged from thecontrol levers so that the latter can return under their spring actionto their initial position.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means fordisengaging the spring blades from the control levers include spindlessemi-circular in cross section, operable connections between thespindles so that the same can be simultaneously returned, a crank handleon one of the spindles for effecting the initial turning of thespindles, the spindles being positioned so that when the curved surfacesface the resilient blades the latter on depression of the keys engagesaid curved surfaces and move away from the control levers to releasethe latter but on the flat faces being arranged substantially parallelto the resilient blades the latter move by said flat surfaces Whiletheir stops remain in constant engagement with the control levers forthe purpose of obtaining an uninterrupted process of release.

WILI-IELM BLUME.

